We've heard the warnings; why can't we learn?

The Songkran holiday is upon us again, along with the usual serious warnings about the road accidents that become prevalent during the long New Year festival. Thais should be able to celebrate this auspicious occasion with joy. Instead, the Songkran festival’s joyous mood is always ruined by the carnage on our roads.

Songkran is an occasion when family members reunite to mark an auspicious start to the traditional New Year. Water symbolises the washing away of bad things in the past, cleansing and forgiveness and letting go before stepping into a promising new era. But for many thousands of people at this time each year, this message loses all meaning, as several hundred Thais lose their lives in road accidents. It seems that we never learn the lesson, and we have come to expect a horrific death toll each year.

Last year, the festival was dubbed the “seven dangerous days”. Around 300 people were killed on the nation’s roads during the April 11 to 17 period, with another 3,000 injured.

It is unfortunate, but no surprise, that drunk driving is the most common cause of road accidents during Songkran. All of these accidents could be prevented if people abided by the law. Drunk driving is illegal, but, in festive mood, some drivers do not care about the dangers of alcohol abuse, and this results in accidents. Often, the damage is not limited to the driver, but also other innocent people.

The high number of road accidents in Thailand generally – not only at this time of year – shows that we have a poor understanding of road safety. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a common problem that is taken far too lightly.

Every year at his time, government agencies and non-governmental organisations campaign to prevent drunk driving. There have been attempts to impose restrictions on selling alcohol. But these campaigns are not successful, practical or effective, as witnessed by the number of fatalities every year. People can easily stock up on alcohol supplies any time they want in advance of any ban. 

Is it possible for once that all parties join forces to fix the drunk-driving problem during Songkran? First of all, people should be aware of the destruction they can cause by drunk driving. Drivers need to be aware that alcohol will affect their mental state and increase the risk of accidents. Law enforcement must also be tightened. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offence in developed countries, with severe penalties for violators. In Thailand, enforcement of the drunk-driving law is lax at best.

Serious punishments must be imposed, including jail terms, heavy fines, suspending or revoking driving licenses, counselling and mandatory alcohol education, plus social work. The working hours of some drivers should also be limited to ensure their full awareness and capacity. For instance, some truck drivers use drugs as stimulants because of the tight schedules and long hours they are subjected to.

The focus on casualty numbers may not give a realistic picture because provincial authorities will always try to minimise their death tolls over Songkran. In fact, the number of accidents over the whole year is unacceptable in all provinces. 

In the longer term, our public transportation systems must be improved to encourage people to use other, and safer, transportation modes such as railways, as opposed to private vehicles.

The campaign to raise people’s awareness about alcohol and road accidents should be a whole year exercise, not just during long public holidays. Awareness of personal responsibility should be instilled from an early age. People must realise that abiding by the law is their duty. It is all part of being a good citizen.

Alcohol-impaired driving is a national problem, in spite of the campaigns against it every year. And every year we see more people left victim by tragic, but preventable, road accidents.

It is truly sad that we have not learned the terrible lessons of the past. It comes down to simply knowing your limit. If you are not sure, just stop before hurting yourself or anyone else.